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The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) will provide Federal assistance to support innovative projects seeking to promote and ensure the inclusion and use of minority enterprises. This Announcement is a mechanism to encourage new activities, education, outreach, innovative projects or sponsorships that are not addressed through other MBDA programs. MBDA has established key priorities designed to overcome the unique challenges faced by minority business enterprises (MBEs). MBDA is now initiating new approaches to serve MBEs that compliment Presidential priorities and U.S. Department of Commerce goals. These program priorities are separated according to the following 14 initiatives: Access to Capital American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Project Aquaculture Disaster Readiness Disaster Recovery Entrepreneurship Education Program for Formerly Incarcerated Persons Global Minority Women Economic Empowerment Initiative Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Initiative Inclusive Infrastructure Initiative Research Space Commerce Sustainable Business Model Technology Transfer and Commercialization Virtual Business Center

The Office of Refugee Resettlement's Unaccompanied Refugee Minors program within the Administration for Children and Families provides child welfare services and benefits to children eligible for placement, services and benefits under 8 U.S.C. § 1522(d)(2). As it exists today, the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors program provides such youth with the same range of child welfare benefits and services available to other foster children in the state of placement, including services identified in a state’s plans under titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act, such as associated independent living benefits and services. The existing program is funded through grants to states and is subject to state child welfare laws and regulations.The ATS URM program will provide time-limited transitional placement, benefits, and services to assist older youth eligible for the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors program to obtain the skills necessary for economic self-sufficiency and independent living.

The Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship Program seeks to attract and prepare outstanding youn people who have an interest in pursuing a career with the Department of State's Foreign Service. It encourages the application of members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service and those with financial need.

The research remit of the BIAA covers Turkey and the Black Sea. BIAA research engages with Turkey as a crossroads, Turkey's interactions with the Black Sea region and its other neighbours as well as Turkey as a distinctive creative and cultural hub in a global and neighbourhood perspective. The overall focus of applications should be on History, Society and Culture. The BIAA has primary experience and resources, including a first-class library in Ankara, as an archaeological and historical research centre. It prioritizes research projects with a historical dimension, even when the prime focus is on contemporary Turkey or climate issues. In line with the mission of the BIAA as a centre of excellence for archaeological research, substantial funds will be set aside for selected field projects running over a number of years. Currently three or four projects of this type are supported. Applications for funding should fit within the five Strategic Research Initiatives (SRI) which define the current shape of BIAA research policy: * Climate and its historical and current impact * Migration, Minorities and regional identities * Religion and politics in historical perspective * Habitat and Settlement in prehistoric, historical and environmental perspective * Cultural heritage, society and the economy Proposals may relate to all historical periods up to contemporary Turkey.

In support of U.S. Department of State foreign policy objectives, the FY 2016 Communities Connecting Heritage program is an international people-to-people exchange program that engages communities and empowers people through the exploration of cultural heritage issues. The program brings together U.S. and international communities, especially youth, women, ethnic minorities and other underserved groups, through collaborative exchange projects that focus on cultural heritage and may also include social issues, such as social inclusion, interfaith tolerance, women's empowerment, and/or youth development. The program will include six to eight international exchange projects that develop and showcase new partnerships between U.S. and foreign cultural organizations and the communities they serve, while advancing cultural heritage through community outreach and public education.

The Office of Citizen Exchanges, SportsUnited Division, of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for the FY 2016 International Sports Programming Initiative. Sports Diplomacy programs can be an important tool for advancing foreign policy goals and connecting with audiences with whom traditional diplomacy proves challenging, including at-risk youth, women, minorities, people with disabilities, and non-English speakers. Sports Diplomacy enhances cross-cultural understanding and opens new avenues of dialogue and collaboration between individuals and nations. In support of U.S. Department of State foreign policy objectives, ECA's sports diplomacy programs create both people-to-people and institutional linkages through sport. The Office of Citizen Exchanges welcomes proposals that directly respond to the Sport for Social Change theme outlined below. The award recipient will be responsible for planning, overseeing, and/or implementing the exchanges including the administration of at least four two-way exchange programs.

The Max-Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Department of Religious Diversity in Göttingen is offering The Ph.D. fellowships are for 3-4 years. The dissertation will be defended at Utrecht University. The postdoctoral fellowships are for one or two years. The research will be done in collaboration with the Center for the Study of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in China at Minzu University in Beijing. The projects have to be on the following topics: 1. Study of the relations between Yi and Miao in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Vietnam 2. Study of the effects on ethnic minorities of the opening up of S.W. China to S.E. Asia 3. Social networks beyond ethnicity in China: Case study of the classmates and alumni of Minzu Requirements: For Postdoc: Ph.D. in Social /Cultural Anthropology, Religious Studies, Sociology, Political Science or other related disciplines of the Social Sciences or Humanities. Fluency in English and Mandarin Chinese is expected. For Ph.D. candidates: MA in Social /Cultural Anthropology, Religious Studies, Sociology, Political Science or other related disciplines of the Social Sciences or Humanities. Fluency in English and Mandarin Chinese is expected.

The Science of Science & Innovation Policy (SciSIP) program supports research designed to advance the scientific basis of science and innovation policy. Research funded by the program thus develops, improves and expands models, analytical tools, data and metrics that can be applied in the science policy decision making process. For example, research proposals may develop behavioral and analytical conceptualizations, frameworks or models that have applications across a broad array of SciSIP challenges, including the relationship between broader participation and innovation or creativity. Proposals may also develop methodologies to analyze science and technology data, and to convey the information to a variety of audiences. Researchers are also encouraged to create or improve science and engineering data, metrics and indicators reflecting current discovery, particularly proposals that demonstrate the viability of collecting and analyzing data on knowledge generation and innovation in organizations. Among the many research topics supported are:examinations of the ways in which the contexts, structures and processes of science and engineering research are affected by policy decision, the evaluation of the tangible and intangible returns from investments in science and from investments in research and development, the study of structures and processes that facilitate the development of usable knowledge, theories of creative processes and their transformation into social and economic outcomes, the collection, analysis and visualization of new data describing the scientific and engineering enterprise. The SciSIP program invites the participation of researchers from all of the social, behavioral and economic sciences as well as those working in domain-specific applications such as chemistry, biology, physics, or nanotechnology. The program welcomes proposals for individual or multi-investigator research projects, doctoral dissertation improvement awards, conferences, wo

DRL seeks proposals that will address the following areas: -Promoting the Protection of Minority Ethnic and Religious Communities in Iraq -Promoting Tolerance and Reconciliation -Human Rights Protection, Promotion, and Justice -Supporting Youth Activism in Peacebuilding in Iraq -Women, Peace, and Security -Mitigating Conflict in Iraqi Host Communities due to the Influx of Iraqi Returnees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and Syrian Refugees

The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance awards through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a pilot Program in Media Literacy. PAS invites organizations to submit proposals for an up-to- 24 months project to improve media literacy skills among young Georgians between the ages of 16 - 24 to include ethnic minorities and people at risk of being socially marginalized. Expected results include an increase of at least 20% in program participants' ability to distinguish trustworthy news from fake news and an increase of at least 20% in those who cross-check the information from the news.

The U.S. Embassy Ankara, Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to Support Shared Security, Strengthen Economic Prosperity or Reinforce U.S. - Turkish Shared Values. Priority Region: Projects located outside Turkey's largest cities are considered stronger. Program Objectives: * Support Shared Security - Projects that support and advance cooperation between the U.S. and Turkey on defeating ISIS/Daesh and other extremist groups; projects in Turkey that support advancing stability in Syria; all facets of counterterrorism efforts; and transnational crime. Also projects that support and advance cooperation between the United States and Turkey in NATO and other multilateral security organizations. * Strengthen Economic Prosperity - Projects which promote trade and investment with the United States, and support entrepreneurship and innovation. Projects which support science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education among Turkish youth. * Reinforce U.S.-Turkish Shared Values - Projects which build mutual understanding and promote U.S.-culture, including American Studies, English teaching/learning, music, art, sports, and education, and encourage study in the United States. Also projects that support human rights, women's and youth empowerment, LGBT rights, diversity, acceptance of minority groups, and other areas of mutual interest that promote freedom and democracy.

The Office of Citizen Exchanges, Sports Diplomacy Division, of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for the FY 2018 International Sports Programming Initiative (ISPI). U.S. public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to manage sports exchange projects designed to reach underserved youth and/or their coaches/sports administrators who manage youth sports programs. These exchanges between the United States and select countries will be reciprocal exchanges that employ sports to address the Sport and Social Change theme outlined below. The International Sports Programming Initiative uses sports to help underserved youth around the world develop important leadership skills, achieve academic success, promote tolerance and respect for diversity, and positively contribute to their home and host communities. Sports Diplomacy programs are an important tool for advancing U.S. foreign policy goals through interaction with hard-to-reach groups such as at-risk youth, women, minorities, people with disabilities, and non-English speakers. The focus of all programs must be on both male and female youth and/or their coaches/sports administrators. Programs designed to train elite athletes or coaches are ineligible under C.3 of this announcement. Other Eligibility Requirements are available within the full announcement.

The general objective of the activity is to improve the quality of malaria diagnosis and treatment services to 85% from baseline in project supported facilities. The specific project objectives are to: 1. Strengthen partnerships and coordination at national and regional levels 2. Strengthen and scale up quality assurance (QA) systems for malaria diagnosis and treatment 3. Improve infrastructures (minor renovation) and human resource capacity for malaria diagnosis and case management 4. Enhanced program learning and operational research to impact policy and programming related to malaria case management This Activity will be implemented consistent with the principles of collaborating learning and adapting (CLA). Consistent with CLA, this Agreement covers any activities that consistent with CLA principles will contribute to the four objectives and key results specified above, consistent with the implementation planning requirements and other provisions of the Agreement.

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) from organizations interested in submitting Statements of Interest (SOI) outlining project concepts and capacity to manage programs that will contribute to stabilization in Iraq by advancing human rights and rule of law; promoting reconciliation, accountability, and atrocities prevention; strengthening effective governance and increasing political participation; and protecting and empowering women, youth, and marginalized populations, including ethnic and religious minorities. See the attached solicitation for additional information on this request.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that support Religious Freedom globally. "Religious freedom" refers to the right set out in Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including the freedom to adopt a religion or beliefs, change your beliefs, practice and teach your beliefs (which may include through publications, public and private speech, and the display of religious attire or symbols), gather in community with others to worship and observe your beliefs, and teach your beliefs to your children. Proposed programming must be responsive to restrictions on religious freedom and must be in line with the U.S. Government's religious freedom, democracy, governance, and human rights goals. Helpful resources for applicants include the annual country-specific International Religious Freedom Reports https://www.state.gov/international-religious-freedom-reports/ and annual country-specific Human Rights Reports https://www.state.gov/reports/2018-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/. Applicants will be responsible for ensuring program activities and products are implemented in accordance with the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution. DRL programming will engage youth to foster an environment of greater inter-communal and intra-communal respect and peaceful coexistence among religious communities in Pakistan promoting the rights of all people to live free from discrimination, abuse, and violence on account of their religious identity, practices, or affiliation. Proposals should be gender inclusive and include religious minorities.

Intensive and demanding, the Humanity in Action Fellowship brings together international groups of college students and recent graduates to explore national histories of discrimination and resistance-including the political foundations of racial hierarchies, Antisemitism, Islamophobia and colonial domination-as they affect different minority groups today. The Fellowship seeks to educate, connect and inspire the world's future leaders in the fields of human rights and social justice. 

The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Activities pursued by early-career faculty should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research. NSF encourages submission of CAREER proposals from early-career faculty at all CAREER-eligible organizations and especially encourages women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities to apply.

Mozambique is at a critical junction of controlling its HIV/AIDS epidemic in order to meet The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) goal of 90-90-90 by 2020 and 95-95-95 by 2030. Reaching these goals not only requires robust clinical interventions, but simultaneously requires addressing social, cultural, and legal barriers that inhibit equal access to health services for all people living with and affected by HIV. This requires not only the training of those at a local level who interact with people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) or other vulnerable populations but also building the capacity of civil society organizations that can assist with improving uptake of HIV services as well as improving retention and linkages. This NOFO will increase the availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality of HIV services provided in health facilities or community level by implementing innovative activities that reduce stigma and discrimination, increase retention and linkages of HIV and TB services, improve health facilities’ redress mechanisms, optimize care for HIV and TB patients, and improve patient rights and access to quality services for PLHIV.

This NOFO seeks to provide infrastructure support and technical assistance to Mozambican Ministry of Health (MOH) health clinics and facilities in order to scale-up HIV and TB services through PEPFAR. This NOFO will provide technical assistance to help address MOH infrastructure needs as well as providing overall alternative solutions to improving the health infrastructure either through renovations, pre-fabricated (pre-fab) structures, or equipment necessary for the improvement of HIV/AIDS and TB services across the clinical cascade. Sites for infrastructure support will be selected based on MOH and PEPFAR priorities. Health centers may require different infrastructure solutions which may include pre-fab structures for warehouses, pharmacies, laboratories, and medium-sized health units. Supported health facilities may be geographically dispersed throughout Mozambique and involve rural and urban areas. The accomplishment of these objectives will support the Government of Mozambique’s goal of promoting epidemic control through an increased facility maximum HIV patient capacity and will in turn facilitate the country’s HIV strategic goals.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that support the diversification of the Bangladesh economy by assisting efforts to promote good jobs in sectors beyond the ready-made garment sector.